 Poster: A snowHead
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Don't know if this topics's in the right forum (or even if it's been done to death in the past) but here's the low down. Hope some of you experienced folk can provide a few words of wisdom.
For our dream in a year or so we're thinking of relocating to the Alps. Going to be living there all year round for several years so we want the following: A house/chalet (3 bedrooms) with some garden (dogs!) rather than an apartment. On the outskirts of a "traditional" village/town for some year round community life (we're passable French speakers). No more than 15 - 20 minutes drive from a lift giving access to an extensive and snow-sure ski area. Somewhere not too overpriced so that, say, 400,000 euros could buy us what we've got in mind.
Where would you chose to go and why - I'd be really interested to know if any of your suggestions match our thoughts. Thanks....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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all depends on what you're planning on doing when you're out here.
We initially lived in a small resort - not our choice but we were employees so that drove our choice.
We then set up on our own and moved to a larger resort - chosen as less than an our from Geneva, large ski area with superb snow record and available property.
We are just about to move again to a hamlet outside of a resort - as we no longer need to live in resort and for the same money can move from a small(ish) apartment to a 5 bedroom farmhouse and can finally take our furniture out of storage.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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gvj, La Rosiere, would fit the bill perfectly, funnily enough your criteria is very similar to ours when we bought our chalet. Bourg St Maurice is also a possibility but the military presence there has taken a lot of property off the market. If you PM me I could put you in touch with some possible vendors. There are a few other villages in and around the Haute Tarentaise where your budget could get you a decent property, in terms of the skiing; there are 1,600 kms of piste, some of the most snow-sure resorts in France but also some villages where there is a real sense of community all year round.
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I'd go to Briancon or somewhere round there in the Southern Alps myself
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Arno, seconded. If we move out there, Briancon would be on the list. Loads of skiing within a short drive, and prices are more reasonable there too.
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I'd go with either Briancon or Bourg St Maurice. I really like the Tarentaise so I'd probably plump for BSM.
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Morzine or Serre Chevalier area.
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gvj, I'd go for Grand Massif/St Gervais/PdS areas - there is plenty of choice if you are not hell-bent on being right in the thick of things (you say you are happy to drive up to 20 minutes), and that would give you some good options in these areas. Property prices will be lower, you won't be in a tourist trap, there are more likely to be real people (as opposed to tourists) and a community, shops etc will have lower prices, and you'd be close to airports, main road systems, and high altitude skiing. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Villarlurin, Three Vallées
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Patch, Does it meet the 20 minutes drive requirement ?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rjs, In 20 minutes I can get to Courchevel, Meribel, St Martin de Belleville, Valmorel and Champagny (for La Plagne access). When I get bored with those, an hours drive gets me to Tignes, Les Arcs, Val d'Isere 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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hi Patch
where exactly is Villarlurin?
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Patch, You must have a very fast car.
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You know it makes sense.
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Roger C, on a plateau above the Moutiers to Brides road
rjs, OK, about 24 minutes to Valmorel, but yes, it's a fast car and I've got a heavy right foot 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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and when conditions are good, it's possible to ski home from Meribel
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Poster: A snowHead
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I already live in the Alps and have done for a couple of decades but I would go with the Briancon idea. The area has a number of good ski areas and hasn't been trashed like the Tarentaise and isn't fully of hoorays or chavs... like the Tarentaise. It is close to Turin too if you want some culture. The snow is generally better than the Tarentaise too, gets the early snow from the Med and gets both Italian and Atlantic weather systems. Win win really. Plus it has a McDonalds and train link.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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davidof, so, tell us straight, what do you think of the Tarentaise?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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davidof, why doesn't anybody ever believe me when I say the snow is better than the Tarentaise.? Not sure I like the McDonalds though.
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I couldn't comment on a place to buy as i have only ever stayed in hotels. However if i was living in the French alpes then it would have to be in the three vallies. There is just nothing else that comes near. If money was no object then i would be there with the Ruskis in Courchevel 1850. If not then how many lovely places are there a bit lower down to live. If i could have a fractured teeth clinic for the winter in the 3 V then i would be very happy.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Plenty of places have better snow than the Tarentaise. However, even if snow was not in the equation, I can't for the life of me imagine living for several years (as the OP intends) in one of the 3 Valleys. It would be more like a sort of nightmare. Either surrounded by foreign tourists having their fun for a week, eating and drinking too much, or surrounded by acres and acres of shuttered buildings.
Briancon sounds good. St Gervais is not a bad idea too. Somewhere like La Rosiere is both too small and too far up a mountain. But a lot depends on what you intend to DO all the time. gvj, what are you planning to do in the 7 months when you can't ski? That has a major bearing on choice of location.
I only spend 4 months a year in the Alps - at most times of the year. But if I were living there for years, solid, my choice of location would be very different.
There's something to be said for being in a place where there are lots of permanent residents who are not locals. ie, not born and bred in that particular valley - because if they are, it might be difficult to really get alongside people (as opposed to a pleasant chat in the supermarket or over a beer) however fluent your French or even, indeed, if you ARE French. Somewhere cosmopolitan, such as Chamonix, might be a good bet. The people we socialise with in our place are not locals - they come from Geneva, or Belgium, or Italy, or other parts of France, and we all have the fact that we are "away from home" in common.
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I liked the look of Evian or nearby. The lake is stunning al year round, theres a bit of commerce and Geneva is not far away. Lots of weekend possibilities for skiing. Summer sailiing on the lake, waterskiing, they even have a beach. I've not researched heavily but visited a few times when I lived in Morzine for a while and on first impressions it seemed nice.
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Wouldn't pick France as a first choice.. but I would start looking east of Grenoble
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| Quote: |
The lake is stunning al year round,
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Yes, the lake is nice - and sailing etc. in summer would be good. We visited Thonon with friends who have an apartment in Abondance. It was a longish drive - I think the OP wants to be a bit nearer the skiing. And perhaps language has a bearing - as they already speak passable French. That would be important.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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What pam w says. I would love to live in Pau, Toulouse or Nice and have to travel from there to the resorts but I would rather stay in Blighty than have to live in the (ex mining ?) communities I have driven through in the French Alps.
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Valloire...oh I kind of do... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Verbier.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Patch wrote: |
| davidof, so, tell us straight, what do you think of the Tarentaise? |
 , nothing wrong with a ski holiday in the Tarentaise though... although maybe I draw the line at Meribel.
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| truffaut wrote: |
| What pam w says. I would love to live in Pau, Toulouse or Nice and have to travel from there to the resorts but I would rather stay in Blighty than have to live in the (ex mining ?) communities I have driven through in the French Alps. |
I used to live in Pau, it's a beautiful place. Bit more than a 20 minutes drive to the ski resorts, though
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You know it makes sense.
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fully of hoorays or chavs
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it has a McDonalds
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Contradictory statements IMV
FWIW I was around Borg D'Oisans over the summer and would def be on my list - lovely valley area and Val T and 2Alpes cloese by
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I can certainly see the attraction of Briancon. Personally, I'd chose Les Deux Alpes (or maybe Venosc, just down below). Not too expensive, great skiing ( particularly off-piste). La Grave, Aple D'Huez, and Serre Chevalier nearby, friendly French (or at least they seem so when I have been there for my skiing weeks) and a couple of old hands - Lizzard and easiski - to give advice on how things are done in the village. I have thought about it. 
Actually, having 'old hands' available who will happily give advice would be a major factor in choosing a place for me. I would like to think my French would improve quickly - but picking up the language is just the start - to feel comfortable in a place, you need to understand local customs and practice - and why things are that way, I think.
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Poster: A snowHead
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So you are going to be there for a good long time. Your immediate surroundings need to be "sympa" for the summer, not too troubled by industry or traffic, good access for those sunshine days when you want to get on the snow, but also walking etc. for the rest of the year
Had you thought about other coutries / mountain ranges? Pyrenees for France, Dolomites for Italy?
Imagine you were going to do this in the UK for walking - how do you choose between Brecon Beacons, Lakes, Highlands or Peaks. What would influence your choice of where to live when you had settled on an area? Then transpose those thoughts to your ski accessible home. You might end up somewhere not in a Crystal brochure
I think you might find davidof has a point...
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 24-09-09 9:16; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Briancon, BSM, Bourg D'oisans,
Outside France: Stans/Outer Lucerne on the lake (German speaking), Martigny, Sion/Sierre.
I think the reason so many Brits live in Chamonix is that its a year round sizable town too (though need to hit Sallanches for hypermarket)& afordability an issue.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As Mountain Haddock, says, its 4 months winter, 8 months summer (ignoring those bits between) so the larger part of your time will be living there when there's no snow. I would suggest the area around Lake Annecy which would give you climate , lake side activities and access to ski resorts albeit with a longer drive. However higher prices for this area would suggest that a number of people have come to a similar conclusion.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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BergenBergen, tried to persuade Mrs a that Annecy was where we should live in '92. I failed. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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any area that has 'all year' aspect .... err .... Austria 
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Lizzard, I like the look of that one.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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rayscoops, plenty of places with 'all year' aspect in France.
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I'm envious wherever you end up! 
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